The Stomach Bug and New Car

We got up one morning to find that Annmarie had thrown up in her crib.  We thought maybe she had just coughed too much or something because nobody else was sick.  I went about my daily activities, which included taking the van in to get the brakes checked because they were screeching.  I had had them replaced only about six months before.  So we went to Les Schwab.  After we got there and they took the car back, suddenly, Jonah started throwing up.  Then Annmarie started throwing up.  I was waiting for my car to be done, since they still had it back and were fixing it.  Finally, we got the car, which, thankfully was fixed for free because the brakes were still under warranty.

We went home and I barricaded Annmarie and Jonah into the living room with sheets and towels covering everything.  We spent the day dealing with throw up and messes, but by the next day both Jonah and Annmarie were better.  I sent the older kids off to school and everything seemed fine.

Until Eliza called from school saying she had thrown up.  I went and picked her up.  After school, I let the older boys go to the library.  Then I had to take Travis to baseball practice.  I left Eliza home because she was throwing up.  I went to the library to pick up the boys and then stopped at the store on the way home to buy some groceries for dinner.  My plan was to get the food, take it home, then go get Travis from the baseball field.

As I was pulling out of Smith's, the van died.  The transmission was completely gone.  We left the car in the parking lot at Smith's, after getting people to help us push it back, and started walking home.  Corey picked us up on the way.  We went home, then he went to get Travis.  This was on Westley's birthday.  It was not the best birthday.

Travis and Caleb stayed home from school the next day for throwing up.  I had it all day Friday too.  Corey had it on Saturday.  Margrethe got it the next week.  Westley never got it.  That was probably the best birthday present he got!

As for the van, we got a new one. It's a 2014 Honda Odyssey.  We got the full extended warranty too, so hopefully it won't give us any major headaches for the first seven years.

Norwegian National Day

May 17th is Norwegian's National Holiday. There was a small celebration in Salt Lake City for the holiday, which some of us attended. Corey didn't come because Westley and Travis had baseball pictures, and he kept Jonah and Annmarie with him.

Caleb and Eliza posing like they are dressed in traditional clothes

Eliza and Katie march in the parade

Viking picture

Caleb trying stilts

Kindergarten Program

Eliza had her kindergarten program in May.  She had to choose two animals and find out three facts about each animal and memorize it for her program.  She also had to dress up as both of her animals.  She chose a cat and a butterfly, so she was a "catterfly".  She wore her black leotard and tights.  I found some fairy wings that she used as butterfly wings and made her a headband with cat ears.  She was very cute.  She had her facts memorized and was able to recite them so easily.

On the same day, Westley had his fifth grade program at the same time.  The program was about the settlement and development of America.  It was based on ancestors of the fifth graders.  They had to research ancestors and tell about certain ones.  He learned about an ancestor on Corey's side who was a sheriff in Wyoming.  He told about that ancestor and dressed up as him.  Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of him. 

Mother's Day 2014

My kids gave me the best Mother's Day gift ever...these forms they filled out in Primary about me.

Caleb: (sic)
My mom's name is Jennavee Fowels King
My mom is 36 years old.
My mom weighs 10 pounds.
My mom's favorite color is purple.
My mom's favorite food is chocalate.
My mom always says, "What's your name?"
My mom cooks the best chiken pasta.
My mom's job is taking care of the house.
My mom laughs when dad tickles her.
If my mom had time, she would love to get out of the house.
My mom and I like to play games with her.
My mom really loves to have a break of cooking.
I LOVE my mom because she's awsome.

Travis: (sic)
My mom's name is Jenna Fawoles King
My mom is 36 years old.
My mom weighs _______ pounds (he said he didn't want to guess because he had no idea)
My mom's favorite color is purple.
My mom's favorite food is spigittiy.
My mom always says, "It's not roket since." (rocket science)
My mom cooks the best ckn pasta.
My mom's job is nothing.
My mom laughs when I tell jokes.
If my mom had time, she would love to go to the movies.
My mom and I like to spend time together.
My mom really loves me.
I LOVE my mom because she's fun she's funny.

Eliza: (sic)
My mom's name is Jenna Fowles King
My mom is 36 years old.
My mom weighs 1015 pounds (she meant to write 115 but didn't know how)
My mom's favorite food is tacos.
My mom's favorite color is Rainbow.
My mom always says, "I love you too."
My mom cooks the best sloppy joes.
My mom's job is school.
My mom laughs when dad tikels her.
If my mom had time, she would love to play a game.
My mom and I like to play a game.
My mom really loves me.
I LOVE my mom because she's nice.

Baseball Season

This year, both Westley and Travis wanted to sign up for baseball.  Westley missed his team try out day because we were gone to Disneyland, so he got put on a "B" team.  That was really okay though.  He hasn't had a lot of experience playing baseball since the last time he played was when he was in first grade, so he was probably more at his comfort level playing on the B team.  His team was simply called Herriman B1.  Westley rotated positions between the outfield and third base.  He improved in his skills at catching and throwing.  He is working hard at being better at batting. Westley's team has done pretty well, winning a majority of their regular season games and making it far in the tournament.

Travis was on the Pee Wee 7 Giants team.  He played catcher and did a pretty good job with it.  He also improved in his skills and was hitting every time he was up at bat by mid season.  Unfortunately, his team didn't win any games at all during the regular season.  He sure had fun playing and really has done well.  We will probably put Travis in next year again.  Westley doesn't know whether he wants to do it again.  Perhaps he will if Corey can coach his team.

I think I will enjoy watching their sports events more when I don't spend all my time chasing Annmarie around.  It was cold a lot of the season too,which made it a bit miserable to attend the games (being cold AND having to chase Annmarie around).  I only made it to a few games for both of them, but Corey made it to most.  Except for when we were gone to Hawaii, one of us made it to every game.

Eleven Years Old!

So, Westley turned eleven years old on May 8th.  I made him a LEGO cake.  He got a Star Wars LEGO set that I had to special order because they don't make it anymore and a new ipod (to replace the one that Corey and I misplaced). 

Westley really is growing into a fine young man.  He is a very talented artist and gifted musically.  He is a good big brother (when he chooses to be) and a good helper around the house.  In the coming year, I won't be surprised that he will pass me up in height.  He is very close already.  I just can't believe that he is growing up so fast!

On another note, the kids are changing schools next year because of a boundary realignment.  We are very disappointed, as Silver Crest has been a wonderful school for us.  Well, Westley got accepted to a local charter school to start middle school next year.  I had put all the kids on the waiting list a few years ago, not thinking they'd really get in.  It was because Silver Crest changed from a traditional calendar to year round.  Several families in our ward have their kids in this charter school (Providence Hall).  We decided to let him choose whether to go to Foothills or to Providence Hall, and he chose Providence.  So he will be starting middle school (6th grade) next fall.  The only drawback is that they do not offer band to sixth graders.  Most likely, we will have him continue with band at one of the elementary schools. 

Happy birthday, Westley!

Hawaii Trip

In-N-Out Burger incentive trips for their employees.  If you are a store manager or higher, you can earn a trip to Hawaii every three years when you hit 95% of your goals.  Corey barely hit 95% (I think it was actually 94.something) and was allowed to go.  I guess that every time they go to Hawaii, they go to someplace different.  This time, we got to go to the Big Island of Hawaii and stay in the Four Seasons near Kona. 

In-N-Out really goes all out for their store managers.  They put us up in the Four Seasons for a whole week.  We had most of our meals hosted by In-N-Out, meaning they paid for it.  They also had arranged "buy-in activities" or activities that they found for us to do on the Island--things like a helicopter tour of the island, ATVing, snorkeling, horseback riding, touring the volcano, etc.  We were given $1,000 to use for these activities.  Corey and I chose horseback riding, snorkeling, and ATVing.  Every day there was something different to do.  One of the days was all In-N-Out sponsored activities--a workshop and teambuilding activity, followed by a picnic and concert. 

Corey and I rented a car so that we could have transportation all over the island.  We are so glad we did because while we were there, we discovered to our delight that the nearest town, Kailua-Kona, is the home to a mini temple, the second temple on the Hawaiian islands. It was built in 2004.  We had no idea there was a second temple in Hawaii besides the one on Oahu.  Because it was a mini temple, the hours were very choppy and we had to make an appointment.   But we found time in our schedule and were able to do a session there. 

We flew out early in the morning on April 27th, had a layover in Phoenix, then flew to Kona.  We arrived in the afternoon and relaxed until the welcome dinner.  On Monday the 28th we had a duet massage together.  We then went to Kailua-Kona and went shopping for snack foods and lunch foods for the week.  Then we had a big fancy dinner with In-N-Out that night.  On Tuesday, we went snorkeling.  We had put on sunscreen and reapplied a few times, but got burned anyway.  We were in the sun for five hours with no shade the whole time!  It was cool, though, as we saw pilot whales, dolphins and monk seals.  Plus the view of the island from the ocean was gorgeous and the ocean itself was amazingly blue.  Wednesday was the In-N-Out teambuilding, workshop and picnic day.  On Thursday, we went horseback riding on the North side of the island.  Unfortunately it rained all day and we were soaked after riding in the rain.  That night we attended the temple.  On Friday, we participated in an In-N-Out sponsored photo safari scavenger hunt of the island.  On Saturday, we went ATVing on the north side of the island and saw some magnificent waterfalls.  On Sunday we spent the day packing and relaxing and hanging out.  Our flight back wasn't until 10 pm and then we had a layover in Phoenix Monday morning.   We didn't arrive back in SLC until after noon.

My mom and Corey's mom watched the kids.  My mom watched them from Sunday through Thursday and then Corey's mom (and sister) arrived and finished out the week.  The kids were happy to have us home and we were glad to be back.  It was a great trip!  The kids loved the Hawaiian clothes we bought them too.  I hope that Corey can meet his goals again and we can go again in three years!